Andre Lucas

Andre Cavaro Lucas (2 October 1930-23 July 1970) was a Lieutenant-Colonel of the US Army who commanded a battalion of the US 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. He was killed during a North Vietnamese attack on Fire Support Base Ripcord in Thua Thien, Vietnam in 1970.

Biography
Andre Cavaro Lucas was born on 2 October 1930 in Washington DC, United States, and he joined the US Army in 1948, enlisting in the US 26th Infantry Regiment. In 1954, he graduated from West Point, and he rose to become a Lieutenant-Colonel during the Vietnam War. Lucas became the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, US 506th Infantry Regiment, US 101st Airborne Division during the war, and he led the Americans during the fight for Fire Support Base Ripcord in July 1970. Lucas fought on two helicopters, dropping much-needed supplies to the troops on the ground; his first helicopter was nearly shot down. Lucas fought gallantly, and he was killed during the withdrawal from the base.